V6 are the longest-running group still releasing music under j-pop agency Johnny’s Entertainment. Debuting all the way back in 1995, they’ve tackled almost every genre imaginable. And refreshingly, the group hasn’t allowed their age to drive their sound towards adult contemporary schlockiness. In fact, it feels like their team is taking the exact opposite approach in giving the guys trendy — yet sophisticated — material.

Crazy Rays is one half of V6’s newest double a-side single. It will be of most interest to k-pop fans because it was composed by Greg Bonnick and Hayden Chapman, the duo behind ace production team LDN Noise. And like their work with SHINee and NCT, Crazy Rays takes a retro, rhythmic approach. Its most potent weapon comes right at the start — a beatbox hook reminiscent of Michael Jackson’s iconic vocal tics. From here, Rays bursts into a brass-heavy beat that quickly establishes its addictive, organic groove.

The song’s verses offer a smooth shot of melody, but Crazy Rays doesn’t really get going until the jolting pre-chorus ushers in its warm, funk-laced hook. This classic refrain feels like the sound of summer, and has a timeless appeal that matches V6’s multi-decade career. Its sing-along melody doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but there’s no shame in giving in to nostalgia — especially when it’s this buoyant. As usual, LDN Noise’s expert touch lends Crazy Rays an air of authenticity, which the group matches with a confident, laid-back performance.

• It’s also worth checking out the single’s other a-side Keep Going, which tempers its trendiness with a dynamite chorus.

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